Business Opportunities Weblog

February 15, 2008 by Rich Whittle | 1 Comment

Cape Cod Times:

Healthy habits. That’s what I’m here to talk about today. The February doldrums are upon us and I’m in need of a pep talk, so I figured you might be too.

The topic of this pep talk is not healthy work habits but healthy exercise habits. Getting fit. Staying fit. And fitting that into your work life.

For those of us who are self-employed and work at home, this should be easy. We’ve got the freedom to exercise whenever and wherever we choose. In theory. The reality of self-employment is often this: You work intensively and put in long hours, and it can seem impossible to find time for fitness.

Chris Gillis, a web designer, is one of those for whom exercise is not an issue. “It’s just part of my life,” Gillis said. “I use it as a way to get away from work.”

Gillis works out at least three times a week, even when business is at a peak. During the depths of winter, he swims at a local health club before work. Once daylight-saving time starts, he’s apt to knock off work early to surf the Outer Cape beaches.

It was about five years ago, after Gillis left the corporate world behind, that exercise became part of his routine. “When you have your own business, if you show up to work at 9:15 it’s not a huge deal. When you work for a corporation, for some reason it is a huge deal,” said Gillis.

We’ve all read about the physical benefits of regular fitness, but there are business benefits too. Exercise has been found to reduce stress and anxiety, boost your energy and help you think more clearly. Who knows? Those could give you precisely the edge your business needs.

Photo by pnijhuis.

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Tags: Health, Small Biz, Stress